New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-05-10
THE NEW CIVIL SERVICE RULES.

bower OF life and death over his dependahiS
THE NEW CIVIL SERVICE RULES.
DEMOCRATS BOLDLY Avow THEIR PURPOSE -
prpuR1IcAvs TO BE "wEEDED OUT"
WASHINGTON May (SpeeiaD.-Of course Admmis-
traton parisans attempt to defend on high grounds
the scheme to get rid of clerks IN inc c.assineu
service who are Republicans lhey ueciare .n'' -
tbel iucompetent and inc ficent" need fear the
Annlcation of the new rules. But some OF the Demo
Scratic heads OF and heads OF divisions arc
-sust as sincere and probably quite as eandid wnen
they declare that We get rid OF the dead woou
now; sWe can weed cut the Republicans now
Yes Republican clerks will have to walk the plank
chase and like expressions have been frequent on the
Inns of Democratic retormers" since the new rules
werc approved by President Cleveland Some OF the
persons who commend the changes for other than
partisan reasons lay stress on the provision when ell
ables the head of bureau department Virtuaiy W
control the result of the examinations in his ursdic-
ton by giving him the power to marx the grade OF
each clerk as TO efficiency" Mr. Oberiy seems 10 DE
especially gra:iied by this provision. lie is quo'eu
as saying: -,
Besides this the head OF the bureau marks the
efficiency of the applicant for promotion by the record
of the clerk; by the record he or she has made Inc
head OF the bureau is presumed to know tue quaihea
tons of the clerks under him. tie marks the
eficiency and what he marks the board takes anu
copnta to the credit of the person. That allows the
head OF this bureau to out weigh any tests as 10 the
capacity, the industry and regularity OF attendance OF
In practice the head of bureau, il it be a large
one, will depend to great extent ON the heads OF
divisions Many OF these men are Democratic part
sans OF the higgins type. Between them ana sueh
heads of bureaus Black, SPARKS McC0nVhIe
Williams and a score of Others the number OF KepnD-
icans who will receive efficiency marks VIII DC
amazingly small In fact the very provision which
Commissioner 0berly praises Is probably the most
dangerous the rules so lar as the tenure oil
clerks of Republican proclivitics is concerned
1t required stretch OF authority Tor the Commits
sioner to make and the President to approve rule
winch requires clerks to compete Tor promotlon WHY
nilly. The law designed TO proVidc LOT cOui-
petitiye examination to ascertain the fitness OF appl
Giants TOR appointment promotion; it was not
designed to compel clerk TO become an applicant LOT
promotion
TROUBLE CAUSED BY SHAM ECONOMISTS.
HOW SHALL THE MARINE CORPS BE FED IA
KNoTrY PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED.
WASHINGTON, May o (Special.-The Chief Quarter
master of the Marine Corps and the authorities OF the
NAVY Department are in 4 sad quandary. 1t appears
that the average cost OF the ration issued 10 enlisted
men in the .rine Corps last year was IL cents ana
that fact was stated incidentally by Qulttermaster
Lowry in his estimate for the next fiscal year AS
matter course the contract price OF tue rations
varies at the different stations some ten or twelve III
number. For example, the contractor AZ Boston can
furnish the ,ulrel ratiCn for less sum tnan the
contractor at Mare Island, Cal. As there is neces
EARLY a different contractor at each station IL follows
that the average" cost OF the ration has nothnh to
do with the actual cost at each station. Moreover,
the cost OF the ration must vary some what from year
to year. The ration itself is constant quantity, but
its price varies not only n different places but at the
place different years. But the Baplett econ
omists OF the House Naval Committee who framed the
appropriation law took none OF these matters into
account Their vigilance discovered that the aver
age" cost of last years ration was l6 cents, and to
prevent any waste extravaganza they put in the
law provision limiting the use OF the appropriation to
the purchase of ratiVns at rs cents each.
All went smoothly until QuarternasteI Lowry made
ol,,l.a fpflla fha al
He then discovered that the lowest bid received at
Pensacola 23.5 cents per ration at Mare Island,
Cal. 2274 cents, and at Portsmouth, N. H., l|.43
cents while the average for all the stations was
1863 cents Now what is Quartermaster Lowry TO
do That is question which is pulling Secretary
Whitney and his legal adviser, and they find it
knOtty one. Major Lower might perhaps make up tho
deficiency from his own pocket, although that would
be acs OF doubtful legality. He cannot cut down
the ration itself he cannot discharge the marines at
Mare Island, Pensacola and Portsmouth, altht ugh
Secretary Whitney might transfer them TO stations
where the ration can be bought Tor g cents or less.
One thing only is certain-ihe ratons must be pro-
viGed and the men must be led
The incident is an excellent illustration OF the
annoyances and embarrassD ents caused In the public
service by the tnkering OF sham economists In the
Democratic House OF Representatives.
COMMENTARIES AT WORK IN WASHINGTON.
WASHINGTON, May (Specrah.-since the conclusion OF
and the departure of the circus large amount
OF counterfeit coin has been discovered in circulation
Chief Brooks. OF the Secret Service discovered that
gang OF counterfeers had been working the town In
every direction The counterfeit dollars bear the date OF
1884 and the halves Of the issues OF 1858 and 1860
The dollar piece is eighty grains lighter than standard
dollar. Chef Brooks his impression Is that the
couneretors either following the circus or the races,
perhaps they have come TO Washington expecting to
"shoye" large amount of the queer during the Ma
tivnal Drill
PREPARING TO UNvEIL THE GARFIELD STATUE.
WASHINGTON, May 9.-General Baird. chief marshal Of
the parade at the unveing OF the Garfield statue on
V1,ursI n ODD
places the organizations which TO participate.
Among them the Grand Army of the Republic, bat
TALON OF the Sd Artillery battalion OF marines. de-
taehmen OF sailors from the Gaena the Society OF the
Army Of the Cumberland District militia and vari
civic societies IL expected that the President and
Mrs. Cleveland will be present 10 witness the unveing
ton closing all the Executive departments at
Thursday enable persons employed therein to attend
the exercises OF the unVelllng
A NEW CONSULAR CODE IN PREPARATIONS
WASHINGTON, May 9-For some time the Department
Of State nquring into the allegations of abuses
arising In Morocco through the Imprisonment OF debtors
BY persons claiming TO act under the protection OF the
United States Consul The Consul at Tangers Mr..
Lewis OF Pennsylvania has fully informed the Depart
ment of hardshps that have resulted to individuals
from the nhuman exercise OF the power Of arrest by the
native Government to persons claiming to DO under the
protection Of the great nations OF the world In view OF
these facts the Department has given instructions TO the
standing and to discontinue imprisonment for debt and
new consular code embodying this prAcpe Is now In
course OF preparation
APPLICANTS FOR THE PARIS CoSsULGENERAL~
SHIP.
WASHINGTON. May 9.-Cousul General Walker OF Paris
is In Washington on leave Of Absence and it is under
stood that does not expect to his post There
over 400 applicants for the position at the incom.
ing Of the present Administration but Mr.. Walker who
is Republican was retained In office, It said be.
OF his familiarity with the silver question the
possibility that there might be another International
monetary conference Now that suon conference is
longer considered probable, applicants are again being
pushed for the situation